Bucs CB Darrelle Revis Practices Lightly at Training Camp

Tampa Bay Buccaneers corner back Darrelle Revis (24) practices on the first day of training camp at One Buc Place in Tampa.

MICHAEL WILSON | THE LEDGER

By RICK BROWNTHE LEDGER

Published: Thursday, July 25, 2013 at 10:38 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, July 25, 2013 at 10:38 p.m.

TAMPA | As Tampa Bay Bucs cornerback Darrelle Revis was doing individual drills Thursday — young cornerbacks Leonard Johnson and Johnthan Banks found themselves staring at the guy many felt was the best in the league before an ACL injury.

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For Revis, the first day of Bucs training camp was a new start for him. The first time being on the field with his new teammates, Revis looked good in minimum action before retiring for more rehab work.

"I felt fine," Revis said after practice. "I think the biggest thing is trying to dust the cobwebs off. This situation right here with coach (Greg) Schiano and Todd (Toriscelli) our trainer is trying to ease me in and progress from there. I think that's the biggest thing at this stage and take it day-by-day. I think that's what we're doing right now is focusing on day-to-day and progressing."

Schiano said Revis worked 11 periods in drills but did not participate in 11-on-11 or 7-on-7 drills.

The coach said it's best to take it slow for now to assure Revis is ready for the season opener.

"This guy knows what he needs to do to get ready to play,." Schiano said of Revis' recovery. "I think communication is more important than anything. "There are mileposts. Going up against another guy will be a big one. Then you get into a team setting. Then you get into a padded team setting; then a live setting; then if you get him in a preseason game, that would be the biggest setting milepost other than opening day. You have to go step-by-step. I don't know what exactly is going to happen; none of us do. But he looked good today."

His teammates were awed not only with his movement but with how technical Revis is about the craft.

"I just sat back and watched Revis move around today; I was amazed," said second-year player Leonard Johnson. "I felt like a fan. I am a fan."

Banks found himself staring as well.

"You just kind of caught yourself in a daze watching him," Banks said. "He's someone I used to watch in college and now I'm on the same field."

Revis was acquired after the Bucs traded their 13th pick in the 2013 draft and a conditional pick in the 2014 draft to the New York Jets in April.

Known as one of the few shutdown corners in the NFL, Revis suffered the ACL injury to his knee in the third game of the season against the Miami Dolphins.

The first major injury of his career, Revis was excited to get back on the field and admitted to being a little anxious.

"It was good," he said of the day. "I've been looking forward to this since I've been injured. It was awesome to be out there with my teammates and coaches, just doing what I love doing and that's playing football.

"I didn't sleep good (Wednesday) night. I had butterflies of the first day of practice. To get back out there; not really knowing what the outcome was going to be…it was great. I got out there and did what I could at the time."

Revis doesn't know when he will get the green light to go all out or even if he will play in preseason games. In the past, that would have bothered him.

Now, he knows it's all about the process.

"If it's best for me to be healthy for Sept. 8, and that's the game plan, that's what it has to be," he said of not playing in preseason games. "We are all on the same page here. I think the biggest thing is they might want to hold me back because I'm a competitor. I want to be out there with the teammates and compete.

"I'm going into my seventh year so I've matured. It's a learning process that you have to go through and now the younger guys on the team, Ahmad Black (Lakeland High) and those guys are calling me grandpa. So I guess I had to learn that over the years … learn to be patient and because I love to play the game, I love to compete. But also I have to take a step back and listen to coach and listen to Todd."

[ Rick Brown may be reached at rick.brown@theledger.com. For more Bucs coverage, go to BucsScene.blogs.theledger.com and Twitter: @LedgeronBucs. ]

<p>TAMPA | As Tampa Bay Bucs cornerback Darrelle Revis was doing individual drills Thursday — young cornerbacks Leonard Johnson and Johnthan Banks found themselves staring at the guy many felt was the best in the league before an ACL injury.</p><p>For Revis, the first day of Bucs training camp was a new start for him. The first time being on the field with his new teammates, Revis looked good in minimum action before retiring for more rehab work.</p><p>"I felt fine," Revis said after practice. "I think the biggest thing is trying to dust the cobwebs off. This situation right here with coach (Greg) Schiano and Todd (Toriscelli) our trainer is trying to ease me in and progress from there. I think that's the biggest thing at this stage and take it day-by-day. I think that's what we're doing right now is focusing on day-to-day and progressing."</p><p>Schiano said Revis worked 11 periods in drills but did not participate in 11-on-11 or 7-on-7 drills.</p><p>The coach said it's best to take it slow for now to assure Revis is ready for the season opener.</p><p>"This guy knows what he needs to do to get ready to play,." Schiano said of Revis' recovery. "I think communication is more important than anything. "There are mileposts. Going up against another guy will be a big one. Then you get into a team setting. Then you get into a padded team setting; then a live setting; then if you get him in a preseason game, that would be the biggest setting milepost other than opening day. You have to go step-by-step. I don't know what exactly is going to happen; none of us do. But he looked good today."</p><p>His teammates were awed not only with his movement but with how technical Revis is about the craft.</p><p>"I just sat back and watched Revis move around today; I was amazed," said second-year player Leonard Johnson. "I felt like a fan. I am a fan."</p><p>Banks found himself staring as well.</p><p>"You just kind of caught yourself in a daze watching him," Banks said. "He's someone I used to watch in college and now I'm on the same field."</p><p>Revis was acquired after the Bucs traded their 13th pick in the 2013 draft and a conditional pick in the 2014 draft to the New York Jets in April.</p><p>Known as one of the few shutdown corners in the NFL, Revis suffered the ACL injury to his knee in the third game of the season against the Miami Dolphins.</p><p>The first major injury of his career, Revis was excited to get back on the field and admitted to being a little anxious.</p><p>"It was good," he said of the day. "I've been looking forward to this since I've been injured. It was awesome to be out there with my teammates and coaches, just doing what I love doing and that's playing football.</p><p>"I didn't sleep good (Wednesday) night. I had butterflies of the first day of practice. To get back out there; not really knowing what the outcome was going to be…it was great. I got out there and did what I could at the time."</p><p>Revis doesn't know when he will get the green light to go all out or even if he will play in preseason games. In the past, that would have bothered him. </p><p>Now, he knows it's all about the process.</p><p>"If it's best for me to be healthy for Sept. 8, and that's the game plan, that's what it has to be," he said of not playing in preseason games. "We are all on the same page here. I think the biggest thing is they might want to hold me back because I'm a competitor. I want to be out there with the teammates and compete. </p><p>"I'm going into my seventh year so I've matured. It's a learning process that you have to go through and now the younger guys on the team, Ahmad Black (Lakeland High) and those guys are calling me grandpa. So I guess I had to learn that over the years … learn to be patient and because I love to play the game, I love to compete. But also I have to take a step back and listen to coach and listen to Todd."</p><p>[ Rick Brown may be reached at rick.brown@theledger.com. For more Bucs coverage, go to BucsScene.blogs.theledger.com and Twitter: @LedgeronBucs. ]</p>